Hospital serving cabinet



Sept. 26, B' BUTLER HOSPITAL SERVING CABINET Iwenor Sept. 26, 1933. B. BUTLER 1,928,327

HOSPITAL SERVING CABINET Filed Oct. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 net.

Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOSPITAL SERVING CABINET Bertinus Butler, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 5, 1929. Serial No. 397,567 v 18 Claims.

This invention relates to a serving device such as used to serve patients in hospitals while they are in bed. More specifically the invention relates to a combination bedside or hospital cabi- As is well known, it has been proposed to have hospital cabinets arranged to contain a wash pan and other utensils necessary in tending a patient and to have a serving tray supported from the cabinet on which meals will be served to the patient in bed. It is desirable in such a cabinet to havepa structure by means of which the tray can be brought into a proper and convenient position for the patient, whether on one side of the bed or the other and whether the patient is in prone or in a sitting position.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a serving cabinet or hospital cabinet including a tray and supporting means therefor whereby the tray can be suitably supportedin position at either side of the cabinet and at various heights.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a cabinet as set forth in the preceding paragraph which tray is constructed and arranged to be disposed in inoperative position either along side of the cabinet, at the rear thereof or in the top of the cabinet.

It is another object of the invention to provide a serving or hospital cabinet having a serving tray supported therefrom, which tray. is constructed and arranged as a mirror and so as to be supported above the cabinet in various positions transversely thereof so that-the cabinet can be used as a dressing table.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a serving device or hospital cabinet which includes a serving tray and means for supporting the same which means includes a bracket adapted to be moved from one side of the cabinet to the other so that the tray may be supported in various positions at either side of the cabinet.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a serving device or hospital cabinet having a bracket thereon in which a tray supporting rod is movable vertically and revolubly, said rod having an arm at its upper end on which a tray supporting member is longitudinally movable and also revolubly movable together with a tray secured to said supporting member by a universal joint so as to be movable about various axes and into dierent positions.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a hospital cabinet including a serving tray with means for supporting the tray` whereby `it can be supported in various positions at either side of the cabinet and can also be supported above or at the side of the cabinet in a position inclined to the horizontal so as to be used as a reading shelf or book supporting shelf.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection withv the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views, and in whichi- Y 65 Fig. lis a View in rear elevation of the serving cabinet showing the serving tray supported thereby, said tray being shown in diierent positions in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cabinet also showing the tray in different positions in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 as indicated `by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 as indicated by the arrows, a portion of the tray being shown in a different position in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 is a partial bottom plan view of the tray and the connection thereto of its supporting mernber;

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of the cabinet;

Fig. 7 is a partial view in side elevation;

Fig..8 is a partial View in rear elevation illustrating how thetray is placed in the top of the cabinet; 85

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8, some parts being broken away and other `parts shown in vertical section;

' Fig. 10 is a view lsimilar `to Fig. 'l showing a modified structure, and 90T Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, a device is shownl comprising a cabinet structure 10. While this cabinet could be made of various shapes, in the embodiment' of the invention illustrated it is shown as substantially rectangular in horizontal cross section having a rectangular top 10a illustrated as having a flat topped surface and being supported on legs 10b at each corner, which are equipped with caster wheels 11. At some distance below the topv said cabinet hasa pair of drawers 12 opening outwardly at the front thereof below whichv the cabinet is Vprovided with a 105 chamber closed at the front by the door 13. The rear side of the cabinet is shown as disposed n in substantially one vertical plane and a pair of angle strips 14 are secured thereto in spaced re-V lation, said strips being substantiallyl of Z shape and being oppositely disposed so that the end portions thereof over-lap and form a guide-way for a bracket 15 which is slidable between said strips. The bracket 15 isprovided with a vertically extending bore adapted to receive a rod 16 which substantially fits said bore and is vertically slidable and revoluble in bracket 15. Rod 16 may be held in various vertical positions by a thumb screw 17. Rod 16 at its upper end has a horizontally projecting arm 16a on which is slidable and revoluble a sleeve 18 having a collar 19 embracing the same at one end, said sleeve being adapted to be held in different positions on arm 16a by a thumb screw 20 threaded therethrough and through said collar. A rod 21 is secured in the end of sleeve 18 in any suitable manner such as by being threaded thereinto, which rod extends outward from sleeve 18 a short distance and'extends at right angles for a short distance, the same having mounted on its end a ball 22. A bracket 23 has a socket adapted to receive ball 22 and fit thereover, said socket having a slot 22a at one side permitting a substantially v90 degree movement of bracket 23 about ball 22 in one direction. Bracket 23 is made in two parts divided along a diameter of the socket therein and of ball 22 and is provided with flanges secured by screws 24 to the bottom of a serving tray 25, said flanges being illustrated as having arms 23D extending diagonally of the tray or serving table 25 to a point adjacent the corners thereof. While tray 25 may be of various shapes in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as rectangular in shape. Said tray will be made of either metal or wood and the top surface thereof preferably will be formed as a mirror. A thumb screw 26 extends through one side of bracket 23 into engagement with ball 22 and is adapted to suitably engage said ball to hold bracket 23 in the desired relation thereto. Cabinet 10 above the doors 12 and at the rear thereof Ais provided with a door 10c swingable upwardly about the hinges 27, said door having an open ended notch 10d disposed centrally of its lower edge, the top of said notch being semicircular. Cabinet 10 is also shown as having brackets 28 secured to the front thereof adjacent each side and to'each side thereof adjacent its rear, said brackets having vertical bores therethrough and being provided with thumb screws 29 adapted to hold rods slidable in said bores. Small oscillatable buttons 30 are secured to the sides of cabinet 10 at the front thereof between strips 14 and positioned so as to project outwardly of the cabinet in line with bracket 15 so operations. If a meal is to be served to the patient, the tray 25 may be disposed with its top surface horizontal and adjacent the top surface of the cabinet at either side of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 1 in full and in dotted lines. If the cabinet is brought up to the bed at the patients left hand the tray will be disposedv as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. The front of the cabinet will face the patient and the tray will extend over the bed so that thepatient will be more or less in the corner between thecabinet and tray. The patient is thus in a very convenient position to reach objects both on the tray and on the table and if occasion should arise he is in a position to have access to the drawers 12 at the front of the cabinet. Ordinarily the patient will not have access to these drawers, but they will nevertheless be in a convenient position for access by the nurse or attendant. If the patient is to be served from the other side of the bed the tray can be moved to the other side of cabinet 10 as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This can be done by sliding bracket l5 and swinging rod 16. It will be seen that the device is thus equally capable of serving the patient at one side of the bed or the other. In fact, if desired the tray 25 can be moved to the lateral position shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1 and moved forwardly toward the front of the cabinet to a position close to the front of the cabinet. It will also be seen that the tray can be moved to various heights, it only being necessary that it be moved out so that it is not in vertical alignment with the cabinet. In practice the tray can be moved from a point substantially 26 inches from the oor to 40 inches or more above the floor. The tray will thus be suitable for beds of different heights and for patients who recline more or less in the bed. When the tray is not in use it may be disposed in a convenient position out of the way by swinging the same so that its upper side is substantially parallel to the rear side of the cabinet and moving rod 16 downwardly so that the tray is close to the rear side of the cabinet and in a plane substantially parallel thereto. This position is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The bracket 15 will at this time be adjacent one side of the cabinet. The tray can also be placed out of sight by lifting the door 10c moving bracket 15 substantially to the center of the guide-ways 14 disposing the tray in horizontal position and swinging the same into the cabinet and into the chamber above drawers 12 and within door 10c. Door 10c can then be closed and the arm 16a will then project through the slot 10d, the tray then being inside the cabinet as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. At this time rod 16 will be considerably lower than the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will also be noted that the tray 25 can be disposed at one side of the cabinet 10 as shown in dotted lines at the left of Fig. 1 and have its front surface at an angle to the horizontal so that it can support a book or other reading matter in a convenient position for the patient. The tray will at this time preferably be disposed over the bed. The tray can also be-disposed above the cabinet 10 as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and moved forwardly and rearwardly over said top so as to be disposed adjacent the front of the cabinet or further to the rear. As stated, the tray will be formed as a, mirror and cabinet 10 will then constitute a dressing table. The mirror may be thus moved close up to the bed or patient or mayV be disposed further back.

In Fig. 10 a modified form is shown in which the guide having bracket 31 corresponding to bracket 15 is made by a T shaped section 10e in the rear of cabinet-10. With this form the guides do not project beyond the rear of the cabinet.

In Fig. 11 a modified form of support is shown for the serving table or tray 25. In this form a centrally divided bracket 32 is used embracing a ball 33 mounted on the end of a short'rod 34 which is secured in the end of sleeve 18. Bracket 32 has a slot 32a extending around its side 0pposite table 25 to permit a 180 degree revolution of table 25. A set screw 35 is shown extending through bracket 32 for holding the table in the desired position and the table rotates about the axis of this set screw. The brackets 28 on the cabinet are adapted to receive and support rods holding lamp fixtures or fixtures for other equipment used in connection with the patient. Such brackets could be made of a size to receive the rod 16 if desired.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient structure of serving devicel or hospital cabinet and one having a serving table which may be moved to most any desired position for serving the patient. The cabinet can be placed so that the table is in a convenient position for supporting meals, for reading or for use as a mirror. The table can also extend over the bed and be used as a game table. The table is easily disposed in inoperative position where it will be out of the Way, either inside of or outside of the cabinet. If desired the rod 16 may be entirely removed from the bracket 15 and the table disposed in some separate place or said table and rod 16 may be placed in the chamber in the top of cabinet 10, rod 16 and sleeve 18 being separated. It will be apparent that the device will have a high degree of utility for the purpose intended.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device cap'able of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

l. A hospital serving device having in combination, a cabinet having a top surface, a guide means extending across the rear of said cabinet, a bracket slidable on said guide means, a rod vertically slidable and also revoluble in said bracket, said rod having a horizontally extending arm at its upper end, a member movable longitudinally of said arm and rotatable thereon and a serving table secured to said member by a universal joint.v

2. A hospital serving device having in combination, a cabinet havingy a top surface and having a rear side disposed substantially in one vertical plane, a bracket movable from adjacent one corner of the cabinet in the rear thereof to a point adjacent the other corner, a rod slidable vertically in said bracket and movable from adjacent one corner of said vcabinet to a position adjacent the other corner, means for holding said rod in different vertical positions, a serving table carrier on the end of said rod and connections between said table and rod for supporting said table at either side of said cabinet and at the rear of said cabinet in a position substantially parallel to the rear side of said cabinet.

3. A serving device having in combination, a cabinet, a serving table, supporting means for said table movable from one side of said cabinet to the other and a swivelling connection between said means and table whereby said table may be supported at either side of said cabinet adjacent the top thereof.

4. A serving device having in combination, a

cabinet, a serving table, a vertically adjustable supporting member for said table arranged to be disposed at either side of said cabinet, said member being rotatable about a vertical axis, a table-carrying member supported on said mem- ,ber and revoluble about a substantially hori- `zontal axis and movable laterally relatively to said member and means connecting said table and member revoluble about a vertical axis spaced from said rst mentioned vertical axis.

5. A serving device having in combination, a cabinet, a member movable from adjacent one corner of said cabinet to adjacent another corner, a swinging and vertically movable member mounted in said member, means for holding said last mentioned member in fixed position and a serving table mounted on said last mentioned member and slidably and revolubly movable thereon, said table being movable to positions at either sidev of said cabinet, said positions being symmetrical with relation to said cabinet.

GTA service device having in combination, a cabinet, a member movable from adjacent one corner of said cabinet to a position adjacent an adjacent corner, a support movable vertically in said member, means for holding said support in diierent vertical positions, a tray, and means for connecting said tray to said supporting member forV oscillating movement about axes at right angles to each other, so that said tray can be positioned at either side of said cabinet at different heights and in different positions forwardl`y and rearwardly thereof and in positions symmetrically disposed relatively to said cabinet.

7. A service device having in combination, a cabinet, a member positioned adjacent the corner of said cabinet, a support vertically movable in said member, means for holding said support in different vertical positions, said support having a laterally extending arm, a tray, means connecting said tray to said arm, permitting oscillation of said tray about vertical and horizontal axes and movement of said tray toward and from said support, and means for holding said tray rigid with respect to said arm, whereby said tray can be disposed at diiferent heights at the side of said cabinet or over said cabinet and in different positions forwardly and rearwardly thereof, said positions being symmetrical with respect to said cabinet.

8. Aserving device having in combination, a cabinet, a serving table, means carrying said table and in relation to which it is movable about a plurality of intersecting axes, said means being movable to either side of said cabinet, said table being movable to positions at either side of said cabinet symmetrically disposed about the center of said cabinet, and means for supporting said means adjacent either side of said. cabinet.

. 9. A service device having in combination, a rectangular frame, a member movable from adjacent one corner of said frame to a position adjacent an adjacent corner, a support carried by said member and oscillatable about a vertical axis, and having a laterally extending arm above said member, a tray carried by said arm and oscillatable relatively thereto about axes intersecting at right angles whereby said tray may be moved to positions atV either side of said frame, and symmetrically disposed relatively thereto and held in horizontal or inclined position.l

l0. A hospital serving device having in combination, a cabinet having a top surface, a support, a table carried by said support and swingable thereon about a vertical axis, a member carrying said support and oscillatable about a vertical axis spaced from said support, means vfor carrying said member constructed and arranged to be positionedadjacent either side of said cabinet and` in which said member is vertically movable, and means for holding said member in fixed position in said last mentioned means, said table being movable to positions symmetrically disposed relatively to said frame at either side thereof.

11. A hospital serving device having in combination, a cabinet of general rectangular shape in horizontal cross section, a member carried at the rear 'of said cabinet constructed and arranged to be positioned closely adjacent either side of said cabinet, a second member carried in said member vertically movable therein and oscillatable therein about a vertical axis, a support for a table spaced from said axis and carried by said second member, and a table mounted on said support and rotatable thereon whereby said table may be positioned at either side of said cabinet forwardly and rearwardly thereof, and in positions symmetrically disposed relatively to said cabinet, or can be positioned in a vertical plane centrally of and parallel to the rear side thereof.

12. A hospital serving device having in combination, a support, a table carried by said support, and rotatable about a vertical axis thereon, means carrying said support oscillatable about a vertical axis spaced therefrom, means for holding said means in different vertical positions, and means for positioning said rst mentioned means adjacent either side of said table at the rear thereof, said table and support being movable to positions at either side of said cabinet and symmetrically disposed relatively thereto.

13. A hospital serving device having in combination, a cabinet of general rectangular shape in horizontal cross section thus having front, rear and side surfaces, a member carried by said cabinet and constructed and arranged to be positioned adjacent either side surface, a second member carried in said member and oscillatable about a vertical axis, a support spaced from said axis and carried by said second member', a tray carried by said support and oscillatable about a vertical axis and about horizontal axes at right angles to each other and being movable to positions at either side of said cabinet and symmetrically disposed relatively thereto.

14. A hospital serving device having in combination, a cabinet of general rectangular shape in horizontal cross section thus having front, rear and side surfaces, a member constructed and arranged to be positioned adjacent either side surface of said cabinet, a table mounted for oscillating movement about a vertical axis, means in said Vmember for supporting said table and oscillatable about a vertical axis spaced from said rst mentioned axis for positioning said table at either side of said cabinet in positions disposed symmetrically relatively to said cabinet.

15. A serving device having in combination, a cabinet, a serving table, a member mounted at the rear of said cabinet and movable from a position adjacent one side of said cabinet to-a position adjacent the other side of said cabinet, a second member supported in said member and oscillatable about a vertical axis, a table carried by said second member disposed laterally thereof and swingable about a vertical axis, said cabinet having a chamber therein opening at its rear, said table being movable to positions at either side of said cabinet and symmetrically therewith and movable in horizontal position into said chamber.

16. A serving device having in combination, a cabinet, a serving table, a member carrying said table with relation to which said table is movable about a plurality of axes, a second member supporting said first mentioned member, means on said cabinet supporting said second member adjacent either side of said cabinet, said cabinet having a chamber therein at its top portion into which said table is movable, said chamber opening toward the rear of said cabinet, and an upwardly swinging door closing said chamber.

1'?. The structure set forth in claim 16, said first mentioned member being formed as a rod extending vertically and having an upper horizontal arm, said door having a slot therein through which said rod passes when said table is disposed in said chamber.

18. A serving device having in combination, a cabinet, a serving table, a member carrying said table and in relation to which it is movable about a horizontal axis, a second member in which said member is supported and in which it is movable about a Vertical axis, means on said cabinet supporting said second member in positions adjacent a plurality'of. the corners of said cabinet, whereby said table may be moved to positions at either side of said cabinet symmetrically disposed about the center of said cabinet.

BERTINUS BUTLER. 

